STUDENTS with poor truancy records at a Blackburn school are being tempted back with meals at Kentucky Fried Chicken and cinema tickets.

Staff at Queen's Park Technology College say the scheme is producing results and helping to cut the number of children skipping school.

But parents and councillors today attacked the treats-for-truants scheme and said it sent out the wrong signals to kids who do attend school.

Around 60 children under the mentoring programme are offered raffle tickets if they reach targets set by their mentor on attendance, behaviour or academic achievement.

Today there was to be a draw to decide who would win the prizes -- tickets to local UCI and Warner Bros cinemas, a voucher for a KFC meal, tickets to Blackburn ice skating arena and Megabowl ten pin bowling.

The more raffle tickets a student is awarded, the greater the chance they have of winning a prize. The school, which has around 650 students, is looking at repeating the scheme every term.

Teacher Lorraine Marshall, who started the scheme in September, said: "We wrestle with the problem of how to reward children because budgets are tight so we wrote to local businesses and asked them to help us by offering rewards. We got a really good response.

"I think most mentors can say they have noticed an improvement in their mentees' attendance or behaviour."

The school has already launched one pioneering scheme this year -- sending parents mobile phone messages when their child did not turn up.

The pilot scheme ran for eight weeks, improved attendance and even improved exam performance for some year 11 pupils.

Conservative education spokesman on Blackburn with Darwen Council Coun Sheila Williams said the onus on getting children to school should be placed firmly on parents who should face the consequences if they did not.

She said: "This scheme gives rewards for simply complying with legal requirements. It may be in line with so-called modern thinking but it's the parents responsibility to get children into school and they should face the consequences if they do not."

Tory leader Coun Colin Rigby said: "My worry is what sort of message does this send out to students who regularly attend school and try their best?"

But Mrs Marshall said: "Every system has its critics but wWe have to show children things can change if they make an effort and if they put that effort in they can earn rewards. Children who are doing well earn rewards in other ways such as certificates. This scheme is for children who are disadvantaged.

"By linking up with people outside the school we are also showing the children that there are other people who want them to do well too."

The council's assistant director of education Ian Kendrick said the mentoring scheme covered all pupils, not just those with behavioural problems, including gifted pupils to ensure they reached their potential.

He said: "We expect and encourage our schools to use rewards skilfully. In this instance they are being used to reward good attendance, improved learning and reaching other targets.

"What constitutes an achievement for one student is not necessarily an achievement for another depending on the context they're working in and the barriers they have to overcome."

Dietician Tracey Parkington, who promotes healthy eating in schools around Blackburn, said she backed the scheme as a whole but preferred sports or social activities to be offered as an incentive rather than fast food.